Judy Guichon, with her son Mike Guichon, looks over the herd at the Gerard Guichon Ranch in Merritt's Nicola Valley in this 2008 file photo. Guichon has been named B.C.'s 29th lieutenant-governor.Ward Perrin
/ Vancouver Sun files

Judy Guichon, with her son Mike Guichon, looks over the herd at the Gerard Guichon Ranch in Merritt's Nicola Valley. Guichon has been named B.C.'s 29th lieutenant-governor.Ward Perrin
/ Vancouver Sun files

Judy Guichon, with her son Mike Guichon, looks over the herd at the Gerard Guichon Ranch in Merritt's Nicola Valley. Guichon has been named B.C.'s 29th lieutenant-governor.Ward Perrin
/ Vancouver Sun files

Judy Guichon, with her son Mike Guichon, looks over the herd at the Gerard Guichon Ranch in Merritt's Nicola Valley. Guichon has been named B.C.'s 29th lieutenant-governor.Ward Perrin
/ Vancouver Sun files

British Columbia's new lieutenant-governor Judy Guichon has "more integrity in her little finger than most people have in their entire body," says Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattlemen's Association.

Guichon, a prominent rancher from the Nicola Valley, was named Monday to succeed Steven Point as the Queen's representative for the province in which she gained a hard-won reputation for promoting an environmentally sustainable cattle industry.

Guichon has had a long association with the BCCA, and served as president from 2010 until June of this year. Speaking for the cattle industry and the association, Boon said colleagues are delighted with Guichon's appointment as the province's 29th lieutenant-governor.

"She will take this job on with great sincerity. She's a true British Columbian who will represent the province well," said Boon.

Guichon's family has operated their historic 90,000-acre ranch for more than 150 years in the southern Interior region near Quilchena.

"She has a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of British Columbia and has spent a lifetime ensuring that we all stay connected to our roots — particularly through her work with the B.C. Cattlemen's Association.

"These deep abiding roots are what have driven Judith to get involved in her community, industry and province. She has never just stood by but always sought ways to bring her perspective forward in a positive fashion to make our province better," said Clark.

Guichon was born in Montreal and was raised in Hawkesbury, Ont.

She married Lawrence Guichon and the couple had four children. Her husband, a commercial pilot, died in a motorcycle accident nine years ago on Highway 5A near their home.

The couple are credited with introducing "holistic management" to the B.C. ranching industry, and their ranching practices were recognized with a national environmental stewardship award.

She later married Bruno Mailloux, who operates a weed-control business in the area and who is also involved in running the Guichon ranch.

In an interview with The Vancouver Sun's Peter O'Neil, Guichon said her appointment will provide her "an opportunity to go into retirement" after more than 40 years of ranching.

"This will allow my two children who are at home on the ranch to manage without me being there to interfere," she said.

"For me, it's an opportunity to travel. I've already travelled quite extensively, but it's a vast province and I look forward to getting to a whole lot more of it that I haven't seen yet," she said.

Asked what she would concentrate on as lieutenant-governor, Guichon said she would attempt to promote the importance of the province's resource industries to the welfare of local communities.

"I'm passionate about agriculture in our province, and about resource industries. It's important for people to understand where the first dollar is created and how important resource industries are to the welfare of our communities," said Guichon.

Asked what ecological ranching means, she said, "It's a consciousness that we try to leave the land we operate in better shape than when we took it over. As well in the product we produce, we use as little fossil fuel as possible. We're in the business of converting sunshine, the most renewable resource on the planet," she said.

Although Guichon publicly supported the implementation of the HST, which has since been repealed, she has never indulged in partisan politics.

Provincial NDP leader Adrian Dix said Monday he had full confidence in her appointment.

Guichon said she had been approached many times to run for public office, but her only political involvement has been through the cattlemen's association.

After meeting with Harper in Ottawa on Monday, she said, "He offered his congratulations, he was very gracious."

Guichon has also worked with community organizations such as the Fraser Basin Council of B.C. and the Grasslands Conservation Council of B.C. Her appointment as lieutenant-governor lasts five years.

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